Amir D. Jones

Essex County Sheriff

Essex County Sheriff Amir D. Jones is responsible for leading and
operating New Jersey’s largest and most active Sheriff’s Department. The Essex County Sheriff’s Office serves the over 850,000 residents of Essex County as well as the New Jersey’s largest Superior Court vicinage.

A seasoned police executive, Sheriff Jones began his law enforcement career at the Essex County Sheriff’s Office in 2012 and was elected Sheriff in November of 2024 as the successor to the longest-tenured Sheriff in Essex County history and the second longest Sheriff in the history of the state of New Jersey, Armando B. Fontoura.

With over a decade of professional experience in investigations, government, and law enforcement, Sheriff Jones’ leadership has resulted in an overall average of a 40 percent reduction in crime. Additionally, nearly 500 guns and assault rifles have been removed from Essex County communities. He also removed illegal narcotics from the street, totaling nearly $5 million.

After serving some time in almost every single sheriff’s unit, Sheriff Jones was promoted to the distinguished leadership role of Essex County Undersheriff in 2016. Sheriff Jones led day-to-day operations of the Essex County Sheriff’s Office Field Operations Division including the Patrol Division, which is responsible for monitoring Essex County municipalities and parks.

Additionally, Sheriff Jones oversees New Jersey’s oldest and most active county-wide Bureau of Narcotics. Working in response to citizen complaints and in tandem with the federal Drug Enforcement Agency, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and municipal police agencies. During his tenure leading the Bureau of Narcotics, thousands of arrests drug dealers have been arrested and removed from our communities.

Among his additional responsibilities, Sheriff Jones as led and oversaw the operations of the Essex County Sheriff’s Office’s Criminal Investigations Unit, Tactical Response Team and has served as a Deputy overseeing Emergency Management.

With over a decade of time served in the Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Jones has a compiled a distinguished background outside of his work as Undersheriff and has long been an active member of community organizations including the Essex County Chiefs of Police Association and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives.

Throughout his career in law enforcement, Sheriff Jones has demonstrated a solid commitment to community-driven, problem-oriented, and intelligence-led policing, as shown through his numerous commendations and awards, including the Medal of Merit and Excellence in Police Duty Awards.

A lifelong resident of Essex County, Sheriff Jones resides in East Orange with his wife and children.